I never knew that about Inverness!

1st June 2018

Most people know about Loch Ness and the Loch Ness Monster. Most people probably know that Inverness is the UK’s most northerly city and that it lies next to the infamous Battle of Culloden site. However, there is a lot more to this small but vibrant city and we thought we’d share some fun facts about Inverness that you might not know about.

Inverness has only been considered a city since 2000

It was declared one of Britain’s ‘new millenium cities’ in December 2000, alongside Brighton and Wolverhampton. It is the fifth, and most recent, Scottish city. The last Scottish town to be given city status prior to Inverness was Dundee in the 1880s.

Loch Ness holds more fresh water than all the lakes in England and Wales combined

You can visit this magnificent body of water on our Isle of Skye tour. It isn’t the biggest loch in Scotland though; that award goes to Loch Lomond. Royal Princess passengers can enjoy a boat ride on Loch Lomond on our Glasgow Greenock excursion.

Helen Mirren got married just outside inverness

Helen Mirren married her film director husband in a small parish church in Ardersier – a small village on the Moray Firth near Fort George. Ardersier is approximately 11 miles outside of Inverness and is a great base for dolphin spotting.

Photo credit: Paul Tomkins/VisitScotland

Ben Nevis (Britain’s highest peak) is in Inverness-shire

This mighty mountain stands at 1,345 metres (4,406 feet) above sea level and it attracts over 1000 walkers every year. If you are short on time, but want to see this iconic mountain, you could take a trip on the legendary West Highland Railway. If you have a couple of days to spare, you could combine this with a day trip to Skye. Check out our blog to find out how best to do this.

Photo credit: Paul Tomkins/VisitScotland

Inverness Castle is the site where Macbeth murdered King Duncan

In Shakespeare’s play, Inverness Castle (as it was before the Jacobite uprising) was the site where Macbeth murdered King Duncan. It features a few times in the play and it is also where Macbeth’s descent into madness started.

Part of The Old High Church tower dates back to the 14th century, making it the oldest structure in Inverness

The Old High Church is a beautiful building that is located in the heart of the city. It was used as a Jacobite prison after the defeat at Culloden and many were executed within its grounds. This building has links to the popular Outlander series and you can find out more about it on our Outlander Walking Tour of Inverness.

Nessie really does exist

Nessie really does exist and it is in the form of a water slide. The Aquadome is a leisure pool at Inverness Leisure Centre that features a large wave pool, river rapids, an outdoor pool and a thrilling water slide called ‘Big Nessie’. Built to resemble the Loch Ness Monster’s tail, this flume is not for the faint hearted or for those who do not like enclosed spaces.

Inverness is known as ‘The Capital of the Highlands’ and is a great base for travellers wishing to explore the Scottish Highlands

The best fact of all! Throughout spring and summer, there are many fantastic day trips to the Highlands departing daily from Inverness, including our own!